NASCAR has yet to see many crew chiefs like Larry McReynolds. Having been the mastermind for arguably the sport’s greatest driver, Dale Earnhardt, he boasts a lot of achievements. Joining the reunion of the old times with Kenny Wallace on The Kenny Conversation, McReynolds emphasized the professional arc that he has had in NASCAR and why everyone needs to believe in themselves and their aspirations.

The 64-year-old is a columnist and analyst for FOX Sports and reignited the rumors of returning to NASCAR in 2022. Acting as the crew chief for Jeffrey Earnhardt in the 2022 Ag-Pro 300, he made his first appearance at the pit road in 22 years. From growing up in Birmingham to helping Dale Earnhardt with his only Daytona 500 win, McReynolds surely redeemed himself.

The man behind Dale Earnhardt’s only Daytona 500 win

Larry McReynolds began his NASCAR career in 1975. Back then, NASCAR was becoming a popular sport and was about to be a household name. Ten years after entering the sport, he had earned enough knowledge and accreditation to rank up as a crew chief. His journey as a crew chief continued from 1985 to 2000, making his drivers garner 23 wins, 21 poles, and 122 top-5 finishes.

McReynolds’ success comes from his strong sense of belief. According to him, wanting something desperately enough is the key to obtaining it.

“The biggest thing is if there’s anybody out there that does not think dreams can come true and people try to tell you that’s not possible, you can’t do that. I am walking, living, breathing proof cause Kenny, I’m a guy from Birmingham who barely got a high school diploma.”

“In fact, I had to pay a few teachers, and I think they said, get out of here. I am living, walking proof that if you want it bad enough, you believe in it, and if you stay after it, absolutely dreams can come true.”

Remarkably, McReynolds has two Daytona 500 wins. The first of the two came with Davey Allison in 1992 when he joined Robert Yates Racing’s #28 team. Allison and Larry came close to winning the championship in 1992 as the title race went on till the season’s final race. The pair also won 11 races and three pole positions together in that time. However, what followed for Larry was the biggest moment of his career and a silver lining for any crew chief.

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A brief stint with Earnhardt Sr propelled McReynolds to the history books

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In the next stages of McReynolds’ career, one of the most prestigious wins in NASCAR, the Daytona 500 arrived. However, the intermediate chapter with Davey Allison in Robert Yates Racing tested his determination and grit in a hurtful tragedy.

Davey Allison died in a tragic helicopter crash in 1993. This meant that Larry had to find another driver to operate for and moved to the #28 team for Ernie Irvan. Irvan even challenged Dale Earnhardt’s claim to the championship in 1994. Larry and Irvan’s small but successful partnership yielded five wins in two seasons.

However, the success didn’t last much longer as Irvan suffered a heart-wrenching head injury at Michigan through a backstretch crash. This threatened not just Irvan’s NASCAR career but also his chances of survival. Larry McReynolds’ own career was also under threat as the crew chief decided it was best to retire as two of the drivers he worked with were being pushed to death untimely. However, things seemmed to bounce back as Robert Yates recruited Dale Jarrett in 1995 with McReynolds guiding him to a win in Pocono as he finished outside the top 10 in an otherwise unsatisfying season.

Fast forward to 1997, things took a different turn when Dale Earnhardt’s crew chief, Andy Petree, left the team to create his own brand in NASCAR. This came as an opportunity for McReynolds to manage the sport’s greatest-ever. The pit crew chief helped Earnhardt have the biggest win of his career in 1998 when Dale Sr crossed the finish line before anyone else in the Daytona 500.

Following a brief spell with the intimidator, he was shifted to the #31 RCR car, which Mike Skinner drove. A decent season with a 12th-place finish was a good way to start. However, Larry had other plans as he retired from NASCAR in 2000 and ended his career with 23 wins in 417 starts. His career includes some great victories and iconic races, so it is only fair that the best advice on life can come from the man who’s lived such an iconic one himself!

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